THE BANKING TSUNAMI

Just like a lot of other Nigerians, I read about the sacking of five bank chiefs, with shock on Saturday, August 15, 2009.
I actually saw it on the television news a day before, but the story was so ‘big,’ that I refused to believe it was true.
One of those times when the subconscious seems to be resisting reality, I guess.
Anyway, the news was that Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru(of Oceanic Bank), Mr. Erastus Akingbola(of Intercontinental Bank),Mr. Okey Nwosu(of FinBank plc), Mr. Bartholomew Ebong(Of Union Bank), and Mr. Sebastian Adigwe(of Afribank), got the boot(pardon my language) from ‘Chairman’ Mr. Lamido Sanusi, the Governor of the Central Bank.
The story is still unfolding, but the gist is that the five ex-bank chiefs have been arrested, and arraigned before a court of Law over allegations of granting bad and non-performing loans, at times with no collateral…………….and a host of other one hundred and fifty something charges. Anyway, the EFCC guys said the charge sheet might be amended just yet, with an inclusion of other wrongdoings as they are discovered.
Uhm! Na wah o! All those five bank chiefs sacked, just like that.
I saw their pictures in the Dailies, and I must confess they weren’t looking their sunday best. It was even reported that Mrs. Cecilia Ibru broke down in tears more than once.
But hey, what’s the full gist? Because some people are propounding the theory that it is a northernisation agenda, if there is anything like that, whose script was written months ago. Some even re-published a THISDAY newspaper article of March 2009 to prove their story.
Some people also say that the bank chiefs can’t be absolved of blame, not with their adoption of Hollywood type lifestyles. And some other people said that those chiefs had a bias towards big men who had enough money already, when exercising their discretionary powers.
I feel the story is still unfolding, and the whole story is not yet out, so I reserve my comments.
But hey food for thought! Why is it that every time there is(are) allegations against big men in the society, the argument isn’t always whether the accused actually committed any wrongdoings or not, but rather, the argument is always that, it is a partial action and that the affected persons are been victimized.
You know how it is, we’re just gisting.
Catch ya later!